Monday, May 11, 2009

Friday, May 29th marks 99 days until Georgia and Oklahoma State kick off their 2009 seasons in Stillwater. Leading up that date, we are counting down the Top 25 UGA football players of the past 25 seasons.18. Jeff Sanchez, S (1982-1984)

4th all-time in UGA history in career interceptions (13) - in only 2 seasons

Sanchez makes this list thanks to an injury that kept him out for the entire 1983 season, but allowed him to take a medical redshirt and come back for his senior season in 1984. He began his career at UGA out of junior college in California, and was immediately 2nd on the UGA team in interceptions with 9 in 1982, which incidentally put him behind only teammate Terry Hoage that year. He led the Dawgs in interceptions and was 3rd in tackles as a senior in 1984. Larry Munson's call of his pass breakup against Auburn in 1982 which clinched the SEC title ("Look at the Sugar falling out of the sky") might have been Sanchez' lasting memory with most Dawg fans.

On a related note to Bop's story, I feel compelled to clarify that to my knowledge Jeff is of no relation to the "greatest QB ever to play football at any level", and perhaps the "greatest Mexican athlete ever to live"....Mark Sanchez of the NY Jets.